Salzburg is one of Austria's most beloved and revered cities and a visit to Salzburg is always an unforgettable experience, a good time and a wonderful sense of celebration that never leaves you for a moment.
It's a very beautiful and cosy city with a very positive atmosphere, where there's something to interest everyone, whether it's sightseeing or just strolling through the narrow cobbled streets and looking at the colourful windows.
If you come to Salzburg with children, you'll discover a city with so much to do and see for the little ones!
We hope that the children's Salzburg itinerary we have developed and tested will help you organise your family holiday efficiently and spend some unforgettable days with your children in this beautiful place.
Contents
Day 1. Walk through Old Salzburg: Mozart Museum,
Toy Museum, Christmas Shop
On this day we invite you to get a taste of Salzburg with a city tour and a look at some of the interesting museums that will be on your way.
Salzburg is divided into two parts by the River Salzach: the Old town (left bank) and the New town (right bank). Crossing from one bank to the other is not difficult: it can be done in a few minutes using pedestrian and car bridges.
In terms of sightseeing, the Old town, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, is certainly more interesting than the New town.
As you stroll through the narrow streets and alleyways, you'll notice how harmoniously the different eras have intermingled, leaving behind medieval, romantic, renaissance, baroque and neoclassical buildings.
If you want to get in touch with the spirit of the times, look out for the Getreidegasse, the main shopping street in the old town, famous for its many unique period signs.
It's not just the expensive shops and boutiques that line the street. It's also home to the house museum where the man with whose name Salzburg has been associated for centuries was born.
We are, of course, talking about the great Mozart. He's made Salzburg one of the most musical cities in the Old World. A fact the locals are very proud of, as you will soon be able to see for yourself.
Sweets, liqueurs, figurines and other souvenirs depicting the great composer, CDs of his works and classical music in shops, restaurants and cafés will constantly remind you of the city's leading man.
But back to the rich yellow building, which is of particular interest to tourists.
If you're visiting Salzburg with schoolchildren, be sure to visit the house at Getreidegasse 9, where the great composer was born, lived and worked until he was 17.
It is now a Mozart museum, with several floors of furniture, household items, musical instruments, portraits and documents relating to Mozart's life and work.
In addition to the standard museum exhibits, you can visit a small acoustic room where the composer's works are played continuously, as well as a room equipped with monitors and headphones where you can listen to one of his musical compositions.
On your way out of the museum, look out for an unusual Christmas shop on the same street that will take you back to fairytales for a while.
It's open all year round, so even in the summer you can feel the Christmas spirit. Towards spring, the winter collection is diluted with colourful Easter decorations and decorative items.
The range of Christmas decorations, most of which are handmade, is impressive. Many are made in an antique style. Each member of the family can choose and buy their favourite toy as a souvenir.
Another fascinating and most 'child-friendly' place in Salzburg to visit on the first day is the Toy Museum. It is located a short walk from Getreidegasse in the 16th century building of the Civil Hospital.
The museum is interesting for all ages, from toddlers, for whom the ground floor has an interesting play area, to children and adults who want to learn about the history of toys over the last few centuries.
It's also the largest toy collection in Austria, so there's plenty to see and admire.
Finally, some gastronomic information. Just like Vienna, Salzburg has its own local delicacy that we recommend you try — the Nockerln Soufflé.
Also, be sure to visit one of the Fürst Cafés where you can sample and buy a souvenir of the city's sweet symbol — the authentic (blue-wrapped) Mozart chocolates.
A tip. If you are planning to visit museums and exhibitions during your stay in Salzburg, you can buy a special Salzburg Card at any information or tourist centre, which entitles you to free public transport and free or reduced entry to museums, exhibitions, concerts and festivals. The card can be purchased for 24, 48 or 72 hours.
Day 2. Salzburg Zoo.
Helbrunn Palace and the Trick Fountains
On this day, we suggest you head to the outskirts of Salzburg and enjoy the company of the animal world. It's no secret that all children love zoos, so treat them to one in Salzburg, especially as the park deserves all the praise and admiration it gets.
Salzburg's 6 hectare zoo is located in the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace. On one side of the zoo, a high stone wall serves as a natural enclosure, while on the other side there is a small, almost inconspicuous netting or fence.
The inhabitants of this zoo are kept in an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible.
There are virtually no cages and the animals roam or rest on spacious lawns. If you come with a child, you can hire a small trolley specially designed for young visitors.
The zoo has toilets, a café and several playgrounds with slides and sandboxes.
In the warmer months, after visiting the zoo, you can take a walk through the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace, where the main attraction is the pleasure fountains.
Hidden in ornamental bushes, paths, statues and even benches, they surprise visitors by spraying jets of water. For this reason, on organised tours, the guide always warns visitors that they might get a little wet.
There is another place in the park that is of interest to both adults and children. This is the Mechanical Theatre, which consists of 265 figures that act out different scenes from the life of a medieval town to the sound of an organ.
Interestingly, both the figures and the organ are powered by water. All the performances take place on an open-air stage.
How to get there. Take bus no. 25 from the train station (bus stop Fürstenweg) or bus no. 3 or 8 to the terminus Alpenstraße and then follow the signs on foot.
Day 3. The House of Nature, the Marionette Theater
The Haus der Natur is one of the most interesting museums in Salzburg to visit with children. The museum has so many interesting and colourful exhibits that a whole day touring all the rooms might not be enough.
It has everything for the most curious: moving and roaring dinosaurs, an aquarium, a terrarium, rooms dedicated to different aspects of the planet's animate and inanimate nature, an anatomy room with many interactive exhibits and a laboratory where children can do research under a microscope.
In short, everything that young "geeks" are interested in. In the evening, if you still have some energy left, you can attend one of the Marionette theatre performances of most of the great Mozart's works (e.g. The Magic Flute, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Don Giovanni).
How to get there. The Haus der Natur is located in the Old town (Museumsplatz 5), the Marionette Theatre in the New town (Schwarzstrasse 24), a 15-minute walk from the main streets of the old town.
Day 4. A trip to the Amusement Park
This holiday option with children in Salzburg is only available during the warmer months, as the amusement parks here are open air.
Alternatively, you can visit Fantasiana, half an hour's drive from the city, or Ruhpolding Family Holiday Centre, 50km from Salzburg. The best way to get to the parks is by car.
Fantasiana offers guests the chance to explore the world of dinosaurs in the Dino Park, go on a speed slide or a catamaran ride, take a safari tour or have a race on the driving range.
The family recreation centre Rupolding in the woods offers a wide range of games and activities (shooting gallery, archery, trampolines, summer toboggan run) and many play areas for young and old visitors.
How to get there. Fantasiana Adventure Park: From the north of Salzburg take the A1/E55/E60 to Straßwalchen: West from Salzburg take the A1 towards Munich, continue on the A8, exit 112-Traunstein/Siegsdorf and take the B306 to Ruhpolding.
Day 5. Hohensalzburg Fortress, Mirabel Park
Continue on to Salzburg and visit one of the city's main attractions, Hohensalzburg Castle, which rises majestically above the city.
The best way to get there with children is by cable car (there is also a footpath to the top).
It is one of the oldest and best preserved fortresses in Europe, built in the 16th century on the remains of the foundations of an 11th century Romanesque castle.
When you get to the top, you'll have a stunning view over the city. The castle has several exhibitions inside, the most family-friendly being the Marionette Museum and the Armoury and History of the Austrian Wars.
After visiting the castle, you can take the funicular back down to the New Town and walk to the Mirabel Park, which is located at the palace of the same name.
Mirabel is considered to be one of the most beautiful baroque parks in Europe — in spring, summer and autumn, it will delight you with colourful flower arrangements of all shapes and sizes, created by the city's best gardeners.
It's a very picturesque place where you'll never get tired of admiring every path, every statue, every bush and every flower. In the back garden there is a small shaded area where children can run around or relax with their parents on one of the benches.
Day 6. Hallein Salt Mine
Just 20 kilometres from Salzburg, there's another interesting place worth taking the kids to.
A trip to Hallein, the centre of the old salt mines, and a visit to the Hallein Salt Mine is a real adventure for the whole family: what a thrilling ride into the depths of the mine on the stender train, then down the wooden toboggan runs, or a ride on the little ferry across the underground lake!
During the tour you will learn a lot of interesting facts about the life and hard work of the salt miners, you will be shown a documentary and the nervous ones can see the "salt man" found in one of the mines. The tour is very informative and will be of particular interest to schoolchildren.
How to get there. Take bus no. 160 or 170 from Salzburg to Hallain and then local bus no. 41 to the mine. From Salzburg take the B150/B159 south to Hellein.
Day 7. Shopping, souvenirs and other tourist pleasures
Well, the programme is complete - the most interesting sights of Salzburg with children have been visited, the main routes have been walked, the emotions and impressions of what has been seen and heard are gradually turning into pleasant memories.
Your Salzburg holiday is coming to an end. If you haven't had time to buy souvenirs and gifts for your friends and family, we recommend you take a stroll around the Old Town and visit some of the souvenir shops.
For more serious shopping, the Europark Shopping Centre is a good option. It's worth noting that in Salzburg, as in many other Austrian cities, Sunday is a holiday and the shops are closed.
Finally, as you leave the town, be sure to drop a coin in one of the fountains or the river — you'll want to come back.
